The Four Great Greek Fathers.[1]— Pre-eminent in the Eastern Church were St. Athanasius, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzen, and St. John Chrysostom.
St. Anthanasius of Alexandria (296-373), while a deacon, at the Council of Nicaea, opposed the Arians with great learning and brilliant eloquence. [2]After years of study and ascetical exercises under the direction of St. Anthony, in the Theban desert, he was unanimously chosen patriarch of Constantinople, where he became the uncompromising antagonist of Arianism. Neither banishment nor calumny could move the constancy of this glorious defender of the faith; and he spent nearly twenty years of the forty-six years of his episcopacy in exile. After many hardships and sufferings, he died a peaceful death at Alexandria in the year 373. He was naturally resolute and inflexible, yet kind and charitable. His writings contain many treatises in defense of Catholic doctrine, and a beautiful biography of St. Anthony.
St. Basil the Great. St. Basil the Great (329-397, born at Caesarea, in Cappadocia) was the child of wealthy and pious parents. His father, mother, grandmother and three sisters are venerated as saints. St Basil received his training in the schools of Caesarea, Constantinople and Athens. In his youth he formed such an intimate friendship with Gregory Nazianzen, that they were called “one soul in two bodies.” They entertained the same enthusiasm for all that was good, the same love for God, and both were animated with the same desire for perfection. Later, St. Gregory of Nyssa, brother of St. Basil, joined them. They were called “the three great Cappadocians. “
Sts. Basil and Gregory, as young men, were models of diligence and piety. They knew but two streets in Athens, the one leading to the church and the other leading to the college. Basil finally abandoned the world and renounced his splendid prospects. Having distributed his wealth among the poor, he retired into solitude, where, in union with Gregory Nazianzen, he devoted himself to study and to prayer. At the earnest solicitation of his bishop, he gave himself to the Church (364), was ordained priest, and afterwards became Bishop of Caesarea, in 370. As bishop, he continued the ascetical practices of the desert. He possessed but one garment; and his daily food consisted of bread and salt. When threatened with heavy fines, banishment and death, he was able to answer laughingly, “Is that all?” He was the pillar of the Church at Caesarea. His firmness and undaunted courage greatly impressed the Arian emperor, Valens, who at length ceased to threaten the saint. Basil was the first to draw up a code of rules for the religious life; and these rules are still observed by many monks of the East, as well as by the community called “the Basilians.” His numerous writings contain many beautiful discourses and letters. He died in 378.
St. Gregory Nazianzen. — St. Gregory, of Nazianzus in Cappadocia (329-390), was the friend of St. Basil, and became bishop of a see now unknown. When the Arians had gained control of the churches in Constantinople, only one small chapel being left to the Catholics, he was sent to that city to propagate the faith (A.D. 379). By his persuasive eloquence, modest reserve and ardent love for souls, he soon converted a great number of heretics. On this account he had to endure the violent hostility of the Arians, manifested by stone-throwing and attempts at murder. He became bishop of Constantinople, but abdicated this dignity when the Catholics had recovered their churches and after he had summoned the Second Ecumenical Council to meet at Constantinople. Gregory closed his active and useful life in holy solitude, A.D. 390. His writings include 232 letters, and more than 400 poems, all in classical language. Owing to his doctrinal depth of thought, he was styled “The Theologian.”
St. John Chrysostom. — St John, surnamed Chrysostom, or “Golden Mouth ” (347-407), was born at Antioch. He was the most distinguished disciple of the pagan rhetorician Libanius, but left the world and practiced great austerity in the desert. Having been ordained priest in his native city, he undertook the office of preaching. After having fled to the desert to avoid being made a bishop, he was brought back by force and elevated to the patriarchate of Constantinople (398). Conditions in this city were deplorable. Schisms were rife, flattery prevailed, and immorality was rampant at the imperial court, and even among the clergy. By frankness in denouncing the sins of all classes, he aroused the anger of the vain Empress Eudoxia, and of others in high standing. He was unjustly deposed by the courtier bishops and sent into exile (404). After much patient suffering, he died in 407, exclaiming: “Praised be Jesus Christ for everything!” His remains were brought in solemn procession to Constantinople. His writings, of which the homilies on the Sacred Scriptures and the twenty-one discourses “On the Statues” are the most beautiful, were composed in classical language.
[1] Out of a vast number of holy and learned writers of this epoch, we select eight, the four greatest of the Eastern, or Greek, and the four greatest of the Western, or Latin, Church.
[2] The Athanasian Creed was named after him, although it was not composed until the fifth century.
[3] St. Ambrose is not the author of the “Te Deum.”
[4] Rom. 13:13.